Up to baseball sized hail assaulted homes, buildings and crops overnight as a strong storm system– and in some areas two strong systems– rumbled through central South Dakota last night (Tues.).
The Gregory County Sheriff’s Office says only authorized emergency responders and local residents are allowed in Burke today as they deal with the storm’s aftermath. Two people suffered minor injuries when a garage collapsed and the Burke Middle School and the Gregory County Courthouse both sustained extensive damage.
About 25 miles east of Pierre in Blunt, resident James Nelson says the hail sounded like being in the middle of a gun fight.
Nelson says Blunt did get some strong winds and some rain.
National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Connelly says things started about 7pm in the Mobridge area.
The National Weather Service is sending a team to Burke to investigate the damage and determine whether it was caused by a tornado or straight line winds.
The Trail City area had a storm roll through about 5pm last night. 1.75-3” of rain with a lot of hail, up to 5″ in areas. A report of 6″ on the Red Top Hill Road (Promise Road). The storm path was about 7 to 8 miles wide and about 12 miles long. Hail damage was from 0% to 100%.
Hail from last night’s storm in Blunt.
Hail at Leesman Farms near Canning (Photo credit Leigh Lessman).
Hail and damage at Blunt (photo credit James Nelson).
